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Nephele

Surnames of the Livii

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The Livii were a plebeian gens which attained noble status and prominence as early as the 4th century BCE, when the first of the Livii Drusi (who acquired his surname due to legendary single combat with a Gallic champion) was made Master of the Horse for the dictator Lucius Papirius Cursor (324 BCE). Barely a generation following this, the first of the Livii to attain the consulship was Marcus Livius Denter (302 BCE).

 

As I did with my Surnames of the Cornelii, Surnames of the Claudii, Surnames of the Valerii, Surnames of the Fabii, Surnames of the Aemilii, Surnames of the Servilii, Surnames of the Licinii, Surnames of the Manlii, Surnames of the Junii, Surnames of the Sempronii, and Surnames of the Julii, I have attempted here to list and define the various surnames used by the Livii of the Republic, particularly those who served in magisterial positions during the time of the Republic as noted in Broughton's Magistrates of the Roman Republic. For the purpose of this list, I have included cognomina, adoptive cognomina, and agnomina under the collective term of "surnames."

 

...read the full article of the Surnames of the Livii

 

-- Nephele

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I always wondered about the origin of Drusus, so thanks for another wonderful installment Nephele! (Oh, and happy birthday!)

 

George Davis Chase ("The Origin of the Latin Praenomina," 1897) was of the opinion that the cognomen "Drusus" might possibly have been of Latin origin, meaning "stiff." He didn't say what Latin word from which it might have been derived, but I'm presuming he may have been thinking of durus. Because Kajanto doesn't corroborate this, I didn't include it in my "Surnames of the Livii."

 

Thanks for the birthday greeting!

 

-- Nephele

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Once more a very nice article which really should be part of a book for you really got a lot of experience dealing with this material.

 

Thanks, BH! Seeing it all eventually get published here at UNRV is pretty gratifying as it is.

 

Top class as always Neph :)

 

How many more installments have we got to look forward to?

 

Thanks, GPM! I've got lots more planned. Next up will be one to please our MPC. :D

 

-- Nephele

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